Color dropper



C. H. HORNBECK coLoR DRoPjPER FiledvJune $0.. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @at 23, l923.

c. H. HoRNBr-:ck

COLOR DRO PPER Filed June 30. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 WCW/fk5 jf 1% .www JMA Fatented @et 23, i323@ V narrata 'sraras `vlgtllgfdl earner aerea.

CHARLES E. HORNBECK, F APPLETON; WISCNSIN, ASSIGNOR T@ KMBmLY-CLMK i COMPANY, @E NEENAH, WISCONSIN, A CORPGMTIQN @E WSGUNTSIN.

come nnorrnn.

.application filedhgu 30, 1922. Serial En. 571,936.

To all whom it may concern.'

.Be it known that l, CHARLES H. Hoanenox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Color Droppers, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to mechanical Huid droppers but more particularly to such as are suitable for dropping colored uids upon paper stock in the manufacture of blended papers, and has for its primary object to provide a uniform distribution of the color across the sheet.

Further objects are to provide mechanism which will insure the discharge of the uid by drops as distinguished from a stream, to permit variation in the rate of dropping to conform to the speed of the paper machine, to eliminate stoppage of or interference with the flow of fluid b sediment, to regulate the head of color so ution in the vat, and to permit the application of more than one color solution to the paper stock. y

The many other objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following speciication when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a dropper embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on *the line 3-'3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the colored duid is held in a vat 1Q and is pumped there- -in or supplied thereto in any suitable manner. This vat comprises a lower half 11 and an upper half 12 resting on the lower half and secured thereto by means of bolts i3. A series of plates 14 rests on the top ofthe vat and are preferably provided with suitable notches or grooves 15 to retain them in place.

A. shaft 16 extends into the vat 10 and is supported by suitable bearings 17. A packother suitable form of ldrive may be provided or the shaft may be geared or otherwim operatively connected .to the mechanism of the paper machine (not shown).

In order to provide a'distribution of the dropsof color` across the sheet of paper.a plurality of droppers are provided but as these are identical in construction and mode of operation, only one will be described in detail as this will be yequally applicable to the others. rl`he number of these droppers and their spacing on the shaft 16 would depend u on the desired distribution of the color so ution on the sheet.

In the dropper mechanism, a collar is secured upon the shaft 16 and this collar is provided with one or' more transverse peripheral grooves or slots 26 in the enlarged portion 27 thereof. These slots are four in number in the embodiment shown. A bearing block 28 tits within the lower half of the vat and the central portion of the upper face of this block fits closely the under portion of enlargement 27 of the collar in the manner indicated. A pair of bolts29 passes through the block 28 and the corresponding plate 14. A spring 30 envelops the projecting upper end of each of these bolts and acts between the upper face of the plate 14 and a winged nut 31 on the bolt to rmly press the block 28 against the collar 25. The bearing block 28 is provided with an outlet passage 32 leading to an outlet pipe 33 screwed into the block. This pipe 33 passes through the bottom wall of the vat and a packing gland 34 is preferably provided to permit a limited longitudinal movement of the pipe with the block without leakage of the Huid. A cock 35 is preferably provided in the lower portion of the pipe 33 so that the dow of duid therethrough can be stopped. A dexible hose 36 is connected to the lower extremity of the pipe 33 and this hose is provided with a nozzle tip 37. rlhis construction permits the point of application of the drop to be varied somewhat without moving the vat.

1n order to permit the head of color solution in the vat to be varied at will, lt have provided an advantageous form of adjustable overow pipe 39 which @mits the color solution to be pumped continually into the vat. This overflow pipe passes through the bottom wall of the vat and a packing gland 40 is provided to permit longitudinal movement of the pipe relative to the vat wlthout danger of leakage of the fluid in the vat. 'Ihe pipe 39 is raised or lowered in the vat by means of a hand wheel 42 to vary the height of the outflow ports 43 in this pipe. A flexible tube 44 is attached to the lower extremity of the pipe 39 to conduct the overflow to the color supply tank (not shown). A cock 45 is provided to permit the vat to be emptied.

In the operation of the device the paper stock is conducted belowthe ,vat 10 on the Fourdrinier wire 51 of the paper machine. As the shaft 16 is rotated, the slots 26 in each of the collars 25 communicate in succession with the corresponding outlet passage 32, allowing a drop of color solution to flow into the pipe 33 and thence downwardly through the tube 36. lrIhis drop is then discharged by the nozzle tip 37 upon the paper as 1t is forming on the wire.

rIhe rate of dropping is determined by the number of slots in the collar and by the speed of the shaft 16. The amount of color solution that flows through at each communication of a slot depends on the period of communication, the sizes of the outlet passage and slot, the static head of the color solution in the vat andthe viscosity of the solution. The sizes of the passage and slot are fixed as is the viscosity, being about the same as that of water at any given temperature. Changes in speed of the shaft to vary the rate of dropping give also 'chan s in the period of communication of the ots which 1s compensated for by vary- 4ing the head of the Huid in the vat to give the same sized drop. In this manner the rate of dropping can be varied within wide limits with the size of drop remaining constant. The passages ythrou h which the color solution Hows 'are su ciently large y so that danger of plugging is eliminated.

r.lhe slotted collars are preferably removable. Sets of slotted collars with different numbers of slots can be used and they can be shifted on the shaft so that drops romadjacent nozzles follow each other 1n any desired succession and at any desired interval. A reference line 55 may be marked upon the shaft parallel with its axis and the slotted collars may be graduated in degrees to facilitate setting at will by calculating the speed of the shaft, the

number of slots in the collar, and the angular setting of the collars on the shaft, knowing the diameter-of the collar and the speed ofthe paper machine. Several mechanical color dro pers may be mounted side by side with a i erent color solution in each to y give patterns in variegated colors,

I am aware that numerous changes'may be made. in the form and 'arrangement of parts wit-htout departing from the spirit of my invention and I reserve the right to make all such as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with means for propelling a web, of a vat disposed above the path of said web, and means for providing an intermittent discharge of fluid from said vat upon said web including a discharge passage leading from said vat, and valve "mechanism operating in said vat to control the admission of fluid to said discharge passage.

2. The combination with means for propelling a web, of a vat disposed above the path of said web', and means for providing a periodic discharge of fluid from said vat upon said web including a series of discharge passages leadin from said vat and disposed at interva s transversely of said path, a shaft revoluble in said vat, and means actuated by said shaft for controlling the admission of fluid to each of said p ssages.

3. The combination with means for propelling a web, of a vat disposed above the path of said web, and means for providing an intermittent discharge of fiuid from said vat upon said web,including a series of discharge. passages leading from said vat and disposed at intervals transversely of said path, a power driven shaft revoluble within said vat, and rotary valves upon said shaft for controlling the admission of fluid to each of said passages.

4. The combination with means for propelling a web, of a vat disposed above the path of said web, and means for providin an intermittent discharge of fluid from sai vat upon said web, including a series of discharge passages leadingfrom said vat and disposed at intervals transversely of said path, a power\driven shaft revoluble within said vat, and slotted collars on said shaft controlling the admission of fluid to each of said passages.

5. A color dropper` for paper machines comprising a vat, a revoluble shaft within said vat, a collar von said shaft having one or more transversely extending peripheral slots or grooves therein, a bearing block in said vat closely fitting the cylindrical portion of the periphery of said collar, and aA discharge passage in the bearing face of said block normally closed by said collar but communicating with the interior of said vat when a groove in said collar is opposite thereto.

6. A color dropper for paper machines comprising a vat, a revoluble shaft within said vat, a collar secured on said shaft and having one or more transversely extendlng peripheral slots or grooves therein, a bearing block in said vat closely fitting the cylindrical portion of the periphery of said collar and yieldingly pressed against soA the same, a discharge port in the bearing face of said block normally closed by sai collar but communicating 'with the interior of said vat to receive aplimited' quantity of fluid therefrom when a groove in said collar is opposite thereto, and a discharge pipe projecting through the wall of said vat with its inner end secured to Said block in communication with said discharge port,

7. A color dropper for paper machines comprising a vat, a revoluble shaft within said vat, a collar secured on said shafteand having one or more transversely extending peripheral slots or grooves therein, a bearing block in said vat closely fitting the cylindrical portion of the periphery of said collar and yieldingly pressed against the same, means for adjusting the pressure of Vmittent flow of iuid througli said block on said collar, a dischargeiport in the bearin face of said block normally closed by sai collar but communicating with the interior of said vat to receive a limited quantity of fluid therefrom when a. groove in said collar is opposite thereto, and a discharge pipe projecting through the wall of said vat with its inner end secured to said block in communication with said discharge port.

8. A color dropper for paper machines comprising a vat, kan overiiow, pipe projecting into said vat and adjustable therein to vary the depth of Huid in said.vat, one or more discharge passages leading from said vat, and means for providing an intersaid passa es.

CHARLES H. ORNBEC 

